Linville Ridge

The Western half of North Carolina has become well known for its collection of mountain golf courses. It never hurts to have a leg-up on the competition, and Linville Ridge can cite itself as featuring the highest-altitude golf on the eastern side of the Mississippi River.

The hole that gets the most credit for that claim is No. 13, a par five that begins play just a hair under 5,000 feet; although that kind of altitude will not quite get you Colorado distance from the tee, you may be tempted. If you are to find any hazards while playing the hole, it won’t be a dramatic cliff face but rather a pair of large bunkers placed strategically to gather ambitious approach shots that try to reach this green in two.

Despite the altitude mark being attached to No. 13, many will consider No. 16 to be the most mountainous of the holes at Linville Ridge. Playing 200 yards from the back tees, players can take up to 30 yards off of their club choice thanks to more than 110 feet in drop...the equivalent of an 11-story building.

This course was originally designed by George Cobb, but Bobby Weed swept through during 2008 to restore some of the luster lost over time.